Train-stopping apparatus.



C. C. HOLE.

TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27,1914.

1 139,,5%5 o Patented May 18, 1915.,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. C HOLE.

TRAIN-STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27,1914.

1 139 525, Patentefll May 18, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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CHARLES C. HOLE, 0F FREMONT,'NEBRASKA.

'rnAm-srorrme APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 19115.

Application filed June 27, 1914-. Serial No. 847,657.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, CHARLES C. HOLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fremont, in the county of Dodge and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in lrain- Stopping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in train stopping apparatus and has particular application to signal controlled train stops.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide automatic train stopping apparatus which will be found'especially usefulin conjunction with the block signaling system of the railway and whereby the engineer or motorman of the motor car will be advised when approaching an occupied block so that such engineer or motorman may exercise proper caution when proceeding toward the danger zone and whereby the brakes of the car or train will be applied in the event of the engineer or motorman failing to heed the warning signal.

It is also my purpose to provide apparatus of the class descnbed which will embrace the desired features of simplicity, eficiency and durability, which may be installed and maintained at a minimum expense and which will operate effectively under all weather conditions.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts here inafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

lln the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a cross sectional view through a trackway and car thereon showing my invention installed. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig.

4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view of a detail of the invention. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of the track instruments and block signals. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a valve actuating means.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 designates a trackway which is preferably divided into blocks a, b, 0, etc. Located at the entrance to each block and controlling traflic thereinto is a semaphore 2 of any suitable construction and preferably train controlled, the semaphore at the entrance to each block being controlled by the presence of a car or train therein.

Located an appropriate distance, say, for example, one half mile, in advance of the entrance to each block and disposed, upon the outer side of one line of rails of the adjacent block is a track instrument 3 comprising a metallic casing 4 extending longitudinally of the trackway. Extending transversely of the casing 4 within the latter and secured to the opposite side walls thereoi is a pivot shaft 5 upon which is pivotally mounted a lever 6 having one end equipped with an armature 7 disposed within the influence of the poles of an electromagnet 8 depending from the top wallof the casing and the opposite end curved upwardly to form a hook 9. The top wall of the casing 4 above the hooked end of the lever is formed with an elongated slot 10 through which the adjacent end of the lever is adapted to project. The electromagnets 8 of each instrument are connected with the opposite lines of rails of the block ahead and are, therefore, normally energized bythe track battery and so hold the armature end of the lever 6 elevated and the hooked end within the casing. When a car or train enters a block as, for instance, block a, the track battery of block (2 is short circuited and the magnets 8 of the instrument 3 in advance of block a deenergized, thereby releasing the armature end of the lever 6 and permitting such end of the lever to gravitate toward the bottom wall of the casing, thus elevating the hooked end 9 of the lever and projecting such end through the slot 10 in the top wall of the casing. The track instrument 3 in advance of the occupied block is now active.

Each car or train of cars operating over the trackway is equipped with a signal pipe 11 extending throughout the length of the car or train and tapped onto the signal pipe 11 and extending laterally therefrom is a branch pipe 12 terminating short of one side edge of the car and depending from the branch pipe 12 is a vertical pipe section 13 equipped at its lower end with a controlling valve it normally held closed by spring pressure. Fastened to the lower extremity of the stem of the valve 14 and projecting outwardly therefrom at right angles thereto is a horizontal arm 15 having the opposite side edges thereof equipped with upwardly extending flanges l6 spaced apart in parallelism ,and 'having the upper edges thereof- 26 is normally closed and the stem thereof inclined downwardly as at 17 and merging into the upper surface of the armadjacent tothe connection between the arm and valve stem. Surrounding the stem of the valve 14 beyond the adjacent end of the arm and' adapted to ride upon and engagethe hooked end 9 of the lever 6 of a track instrument 3 when the latter is active.

The flanges 16 act to hold the lever 21 normally against movement in a horizontal plane and so look the valve 14 against opening movement. However, when a car or train approaches an occupied block and passes the active track instrument 3, the outer end of the lever 21 rides upon the upwardly projecting end of the active lever 6 and as the lever 21 rides along the upwardly inclined end of the lever 6, the lever 21 is swung about the pivot pin 19 and so relieved of the influence of the flanges 16. Immediately that the lever 21 is relieved of the influence of the locking flanges the outer end of such lever contacts with the hook 9 on the lever 6 and so actuates the valve 14 to open position so that the whistle inthe engineers cab will be sounded, thus advising the engineer of the condition of the track ahead so that he may control his train or car accordingly. Immediately that the lever 21 is relieved of the influence of the hooked-end of the lever 6 of the active track instrument, the spring of the valve 14 reacts and so closes the valve and restores the lever 21 to normal position, the lower edge of the lever 21-riding upon the inclined edge of the adjacent flange 16.

Located immediately adjacent to the-en trance to each block is a track instrument 22 similar in construction to the instruments 3 and located in a plane beyond that of the instruments 3 and having the casing thereof relatively high as compared with the height of the first-mentioned instruments so that when the lever 6 of the last-mentioned instrument is active the upper end thereof will project upwardly in a'plane above that is equipped with actuating mechanism identical in construction to the mechanism hereinbefore described with reference to the controlling valve 14. Should the engineer disregard the warning signal sounded in the cab when his train has passed the active instrument 3 and attempt to enterthe occupied block against the. danger signal, the

outer end of the lever 21 connected with the valve 26 will engage the lever 6 of the active instrument 22 thereby elevating the lever 21 so that the same will be relieved of the infiuence of the flanges 16 on the arm 15 whereby the lever may be swung to open the valve 26, when such lever engages the hook 9 on the end of the lever 6 of the active instrument 22. Thus,communication between the brake pipe 23 and the atmosphere will be established and the brakes applied to bring the car or train to a standstill.

In the present instance, a spring actuated buffer 27 is secured to one side of each lever 21 adjacent to the outer end thereof so as to eliminate shock or jar incident to the impact between the lever 21 and the active lever of the particular track instrument.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation and manner ,of employing my invention will be readily apparent. It will be seen that I have provided a train stopping apparatus whereby the engineer of a train or car approaching an occupied block will be warned previous. to entering the block so that he may control his train accordingly and whereby the brakes will be automatically applied to such train in the event of such engineer disregarding the warning signal and attempting to enter the occupied block.

*I wish it to be understood that the inven tion in its useful application may be employed with electrically propelled motor cars, oil and gasolene' burning locomotives and steam driven locomotives.

.While I haveherein shown and described one preferred form of my invention by -way of illustration, I wish it to be under stood that I; do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In train stopping apparatus, a car carried controlling valve, a connector carried by said valve, a lever pivoted to said .connector and capable of movement relativelyto the valve in a path at right angles to the lever normally against movement to open movement of the lever, means holding said of the influence of the holding means and subsequently actuating said lever to open the valve.

2. In train stopping apparatus, a car carried controlling valve, a collar carried by the stem of said valve, a horizontal lever pivoted to said collar and capable of movement relatively to the valve in a path at right angles to the path of movement of the valve, an arm secured to the stem of said valve below said lever, means carried by said arm and holding said lever normally against move ment to men the valve,and means for swinging said lever relatively to the valve to relieve said lever of the influence of the holding means and subsequently actuating said lever to open the valve.

3. In train stopping apparatus, a car carried controlling valve, a collar carried by said valva. a horizontal lever pivoted to said collar and capable of movement relatively to the valve in a path at right angles to the movement of the valve, an arm secured to said valve and projecting outwardly therefrom below said lever, flanges upstanding from the opposite edges of said arm and disposed at the opposite sides of said lever and holding the latter normally against movement to open the valve, and means for swinging said lever relatively to the valve to relieve the same of the influence of said flanges and subsequently actuating said lever to open the valve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WV. G. HENA'rsoH. 

